Top ten tips palliative care clinicians should know about applying key psychotherapy concepts in practice
Top ten tips palliative care clinicians should know about applying key psychotherapy concepts in practice
Journal of Palliative Medicine; by Danielle Chammas, Brianna Williamson, Teddy Scheel, Neha Goyal, Leah B. Rosenberg, Daniel Shalev, Alex Gamble, Mike Polisso, William E. Rosa, Keri O. Brenner; 9/24
Psychological symptoms are notably prevalent in palliative care (PC) settings, significantly impacting quality of life for patients and their families. Given the inherent multidimensionality of suffering in PC, addressing these psychological aspects is essential. This article aims to introduce and integrate discrete concepts from various schools of psychotherapy, which are directly applicable to PC practices, thereby providing clinicians with a rich toolkit to manage psychological distress. [Tips include:]
- Moving from dualistic thinking (“either/or”) to dialectical thinking may help patients integrate their illness experience.
- Exploring behaviors and thoughts rather than emotions may be most effective in supporting some patients’ emotional states.
- Helping patients make value-based decisions can foster a sense of agency and security when situations feel out of their control.
Publisher's note: See article for all 10 tips.